Just wondering if freshly emerged cicadas could be used as food for several of my frogs. We seem to have 100's of cast off skins in our trees and have actually seen several adults emerging from the skins in the last few days. I think it would be a great treat for the few frogs I have that seem to be large enough to eat something 1 1/2 inches in size. I have a Mink frog about 5 inches long and 2 Red leg running frogs that are 3-4 inches long(and very fat from crickets!! I'll try to post a few updated pics in a bit ) Any info or suggestions would be appreciated!! I know I would have to move quick before the cicadas 'harden' up and fly away, but might be fun!!

I know cicadas stay buried for a while (if you are on either the 7 year or 17 year kind right now) so I would worry about pesticides/fertilizers. If you can get some from pesticide/fertilizer free zones, that would be fine. They stay buried in the same place forever, and pretty much molt right when they come up, so they wouldn't have traveled anywhere to get contaminated. If you can pluck a few before the dry out, your frogs would have a tasty snack.

__________________
My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

I dont know too much about this subject but Id say no just because you have no idea what pesticides and fertilizers they have been exposed to prior to emerging, also they are not only long but pretty fat Id imagine they would be tough to kill and swallow

Depends on the size of the frog for the swallowing aspect. Frogs don't kill and swallow, they just swallow and their tummy acids take care of the killing. My Whites could probably handle one, as well as my pyxie frog, however my pacman and RETFs would not. As long as the prey is small than the space between the eyes, its not a problem. I mean, my whites can eat fuzzies!

If you were going to collect them, I would suggest from a state park in the middle of the woods.

__________________
My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.